Terms of the Debate

by James Bowden5scon July 16, 2015

Reductio ad absurdum is Latin for ‘reduction to absurdity’. When the arguments in the public square devolve to ‘hate, haters, and racism’, then what passes for public discourse is absurd. Worse than absurd is the danger such dumbing down is for our American Republic and our Virginia Commonwealth.

The ongoing hysteria about the Confederate Battle Flag is like a Princess Di moment of public madness.

When Princess Dianne, the divorced wife of the heir to the British throne, was killed in a car wreck it seemed like all of England went nuts with grief. The calls for Diane’s former mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, to come out in public and show some remorse went from sadness to anger to retribution – rapidly. Finally, the old queen went out and made a show of ‘caring’. The English sighed and went back to their socialism and decline.

We may be having such a moment in Virginia today.

The race pimps – persons who make their living based on the color of their skin – are working hard to eradicate all things Confederate. It’s good for fund-raising – for their salaries. It keeps them on the news. It makes them seem current and relevant. If they are successful in culturally cleansing Virginia from the years 1861-65, they’ll start working on all things ‘slavery times’. That gives them 1619 to 1865 to put down a new Orwellian ‘memory hole’ (Please read “1984” again.) Then, they’ll work on ‘White Privilege’ or some other fantasy.

The Puritan Liberal zealots are working to change the culture of Virginia from one that still has significant links to the past – and the passion to defend Virginia against any invader – to a socialist, human secularist paradise. Their vision is a branch of the same thinking that motivated the Nazis and Communists to pursue their paradises – and culturally cleanse it from all, old, evil enemies. Their ideas are the evolved Human Secularism from the French Revolution. And, their thinking leads to the same Totalitarianism in application.

Other people, and the full force of the government, tell you what you can say or not say. What will be seen or not seen. What you can think or not think.

If you disagree, you are a racist. You hate. You are a hater.

Reductio ad absurdum.

As the Virginia First Foundation helps transform our Virginia culture, the hysterical voices will become a distinct and politically meaningless noise. In order to do that we, Virginians, must improve our dialogue. We are so far below the discourse of the Founding Fathers it isn’t funny.

That means more than changing the public debate on politics. We need to improve the discussion in the media, schools, churches, business - and the everyday lives of a significant majority of Virginians.